As the trends in the workforce evolve, there seems to be something special about freelancing and coworking that ties them together in such innovative ways. Gone are the days when working at a corporate office or at home are two different choices because now, you can have the best of both worlds in a coworking space – but with a little social distancing.
Coworking spaces are built in a flexible environment that cultivates community, diversity, productivity, and scalability for professionals to work independently together. Over the last few years, coworking didn’t just change the way work happens but there’s a significant link to how professionals thrive in coworking spaces.
The Rise of Coworking Spaces
Studies show that more than 30% of today’s workforce is comprised of freelancers or independent professionals. According to experts, this number is expected to rise by 2020. With this increase comes the need to open more co-working spaces worldwide that plays an important role in how and where freelance professionals could work. As this industry grows, there’s a chance that many small businesses could use coworking as a competitive advantage in their respective locations.
But the real question lies on how these independent professionals could leverage coworking as a norm in their chosen career path, and which coworking space offer the best workspace flexibility options that remote workers search for. To start with, here are some of the benefits of coworking space that helps every freelancer thrive in the biz.
Five Benefits of Coworking Spaces
Coworking spaces have easily become an attractive option for remote workers, same goes for freelancers and entrepreneurs. The main reason could be that coworkers find an essential value in being part of a diver community of likeminded people – because sometimes, working alone sucks. But before searching for a coworking membership that works best for you, keep in mind these five benefits:
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Community
Taking the first spot is the community. Working alone as a freelancer or an entrepreneur could be difficult because at some point, you may lose your sense of community. But with co-working spaces, you are given a chance to work independently without being alone. Coworking spaces may even introduce you to potential connections allowing you to rub shoulders with other business owners or like-minded professionals. To cut it short, nothing beats the power of a network that you can leverage for your future endeavors.
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Productivity
Imagine working in an environment that’s free from the stuffiness of traditional office space and is built with a structure of the comforts of your home. Perfect, right? Who wouldn’t want to work there all day and smash deadlines like a pro? This is how coworking spaces are created—to boost your optimal productivity. There are no administrative tasks or operating costs to worry about—only you, focusing on work. Plus, being surrounded by hardworking professionals gives an extra push to motivate yourself. There are also other amenities provided that could help increase productivity.
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Flexibility
Coworking spaces offer various membership options and payment plans. Since many small business owners and freelancers can’t commit to lease offices because of the hefty price tag, they opt to choose coworking spaces. Members are free to go from daily, weekly, to monthly—whatever the situation calls for as freelancers often have flexible working hours.
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Diversity
Many coworking spaces have members and tenants who work for a wide range of businesses. This kind of environment gives professionals the opportunity to connect and collaborate with people from different industries. If anything, there is more collaboration and less direct competition in coworking spaces unlike in a traditional corporate office.
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Scalability
Entrepreneurs or freelancers who run a business already have quite a few overhead costs. That is why coworking spaces offer flexible terms for business owners to eliminate those expenses. With coworking spaces, you don’t have to worry about utility bills or service charges. These places are well-equipped with tools that could help professionals and business owners alike.
Shape the Future of Work
What really makes coworking fun and innovative? Some research suggests that the combination of a conducive work environment and experience where a diverse group of workers shares energy and ideas are the main reasons why professionals thrive in coworking spaces.
High levels of motivation seen in people who co-work is due to the fact that they can be more of themselves while at work. To sum up, coworking spaces shape the future of work because of its benefits for the workers. Professionals thrive when they have autonomy and are given their own space with enough support to reach their full potential.
